An unsuitable surface at Trentham last Saturday meant this race was transferred to Te Rapa and it turned into a huge day of Trelawney Stud and the training partnership of Roger James and Robert Wellwood, landing the feature with Two Illicit as well as the Gr.3 Waikato Cup with Cheaperthandivorce (Savabeel) with the training partnership also saddling Concert Hall (Savabeel) to win the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu.
In the Captain Cook Too Illicit was able to settle midfield early from her outside draw before making a looping run around the field before the home turn. Accelerating into the lead in the home straight Too Illicit stayed on strongly to defeat Prise de Fer (Savabeel) comfortably.
Bred by the Taylor family and raced by Brent, Cherry, Jane and Faith Taylor, along with Scott Malcolm, Two Illicit has now won eight of her 17 starts and earned over $670,000.
Two Illicit is the second Gr.1 winner for Jimmy Choux (Thorn Park), the Champion 3YO in New Zealand in 2010-11 when his wins included the New Zealand Derby and 2000 Guineas. Retired to Rich Hill Stud in New Zealand Jimmy Choux is now at Rosalee Stud in West Australia where he is advertised at $4,950 in 2021.
Two Illicit is one of two winners out of Gemini (Tale Of The Cat), a half-sister to dual Gr3 Maurice McCarten Handicap at Rosehill winner Easy Eddie (Super Easy).
The third-dam Contiguous (Danzig) is a half-sister to six stakes winners notably Gr1 Epsom Oaks winner Reams Of Verse (Nureyev), Gr1 Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes winner and sire Elmaamul (Diesis) and the Gr2 Yorkshire Cup winner Manifest (Rainbow Quest).
Another half-sister Midsummer (Kingmambo) placed in the Lingfield Oaks Trial and the dam of five-time Gr.1 winner Midday (Oasis Dream).
Two Illicit’s fifth dam is Mofida (Right Tack).